When one decides to put on a play or a performance, one should always have in mind what they want their set to look and feel like. The set, in my opinion, is just as if not more important than the acting, directing, and production. The set sets the mood for everything – pun intended. Sometimes all it takes is to have the Best painters in the area paint and design something and the entire performance will come to life even greater than having amateur set designers. Here are some of my favourite set designs.

The Tempest, 2000

This amazing set included a giant lake that flooded the stage and was guarded by rocks. There were fields of grass and sunflowers along with beautiful water filled landscapes. There was also a hole in the roof so that the character Ariel was never on the ground. Pretty neat stuff.

Faust, 2006

This set was unlike all others, primarily due to the fact that the audience is able to wander the entire set. Cool things included were a scented forest of Christmas trees, a motel with beds, a diner, a cinema, and a store. This was all in a passive warehouse in Wapping, Punchdrunk.

Red, 2009

This set was visioned through the eyes of a painter, who said that big paintings were like dramas. There were huge canvases with gorgeous paintings of red and black. Light, set design, and the painting props were a huge part of the play.

As you can see, set design is a huge part of the mood and feeling of the performance. It expresses how you should feel throughout the entire play. Now if we were to put on a production, I would definitely get the best Painters in Toronto to help me with my set, providing not only a performance, but a great visual experience.

Welcome to Hipgnosis Theatre where we will be discussing relevant artists, works and pieces as well as provide reviews to certain performances.

While we’re sad to close The Caucasian Chalk Circle, we’re thrilled with the audience response and our excellent reviews. Here are a few selected quotes:

“…taken as whole, this group is the best large cast I’ve seen in quite some time on an Off Off Broadway stage – or Off Broadway, for that matter.”

-Jon Sobel, Blogcritics

“Director Margot Newkirk unifies all the pieces with a faithfully Brechtian aesthetic: When a baby is nothing but an artfully folded blanket and a rickety bridge is suggested by an actor’s wobbling arms, we are constantly aware that we’re watching a performance. And a skilled performance at that.”